Graham is Bears’ jack of all trades in secondary

Thursday

Dec 31, 2009 at 12:01 AMDec 31, 2009 at 12:36 PM

Nobody fills in with a better attitude than Corey Graham. He started nine games at cornerback in 2008 when Nathan Vasher was injured but was moved to safety on the first day of organized team activities in May. “It’s a bit of a surprise,” Graham said at the time, “but if it’s a way for me to play, it’s exactly what I want to do.”

Matt Trowbridge

Nobody fills in with a better attitude than Corey Graham.

He started nine games at cornerback in 2008 when Nathan Vasher was injured but was moved to safety on the first day of organized team activities in May. “It’s a bit of a surprise,” Graham said at the time, “but if it’s a way for me to play, it’s exactly what I want to do.”

Turns out he would have played more staying at cornerback. Vasher and fellow starter Charles Tillman were both hurt in training camp. But by then Graham was a safety, and second-year man Zack Bowman, not Graham, became a starter.

When Danieal Manning struggled at nickel back, Graham began to get most of his time filling in at that second new position.

Now that Tillman is out for the season with a broken rib and safeties Al Afalava (knee), Manning (calf), Craig Steltz (foot) and Kevin Payne (ankle) are banged up to varying degrees, Graham could get his most extensive playing time of the season Sunday in Chicago’s season finale at Detroit (2-13).

“We put him in a tough situation when you have to play multiple positions,” coach Lovie Smith said. “But he always does the same type of job he normally does, a pretty good job.”

Even if it’s not the job he’s always prepared for and wanted.

“I always feel more comfortable at corner,” said Graham, a fifth-round draft pick in 2007. “When you are trying to do something else, some of the things you don’t really know or learned at the last second, it’s tough to go out and play all those different positions, but you have to go out there and try to get it done.”

Graham went from a main contributor his second season in the NFL, finishing fifth on the team with 93 tackles, to having only 17 through the first 15 games this year.

Yet Graham doesn’t see what he’s missed, only what he still might do.

“It’s tough being positive when things ain’t going positive for you, but I’ve still got special teams,” said Graham, whose 21 special teams tackles are second to Tim Shaw’s 22. “I’ve still got an opportunity. I like my special teams coach (Dave Toub). We have fun out there.”

And now he’ll have a chance to have fun in the secondary. He just doesn’t know at which of the three positions.

It used to be corner or nothing for Graham. Now, often, it’s anything but cornerback.

Corey Graham doesn’t want to hear any of that talk.

“You can’t keep looking back at things and asking yourself, ‘Why?’ and ‘What if?’ You’ve got to always move forward,” Graham said. “You’ve just got to forget about it and make plays. Whenever you get an opportunity, you want to show them you can play and you can handle it. You’ve just got to make it happen.”

Matt Trowbridge can be reached at 815-987-1383 or mtrowbridge@rrstar.com.